The following bills of interest saw action last week in the House and Senate--

House

Tax Credit For Use Of Methane: House Bill 1100 (Kaufer-R-Luzerne) A tax credit would be offered to industries using PA methane in manufacturing borrowed from the tax credit that attracted Shell’s ethane plant in Beaver County (Part of House Republican EnergizePA natural gas subsidy package) was removed from the Table, referred into and out of the House Appropriations Committee (House Fiscal Note and summary) and passed by the House.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Waste Tire Dumping In Philadelphia: House Bill 342 (Cruz-D-Philadelphia) increasing penalties and taking other measures to prevent the dumping of waste tires in Philadelphia was reported out of the House Appropriations Committee (House Fiscal Note and summary) and passed the House.  The bill now goes to the Senate for action.

Review Any DEP Permit In 30 Days Without Public Comment: House Bill 1106 (Puskaric-R-Allegheny) requires DEP approval of any permit regulating air quality, waste, erosion and sedimentation and dam safety and encroachments within 30 days without regard to public review of permits, creates a new bureaucracy in the form of a “referee” to decide disputes between DEP and applicants over application completeness was reported out of the House State Government Committee by a party-line vote, Republicans supporting, and is now on the House Calendar for action.  Part of House Republican EnergizePA natural gas subsidy package.  Click Here for more background.

5 Member Environmental Permitting Commission: House Bill 1107 (O'Neal-R-Washington) creates 5 member politically appointed commission named by the Senate, House and Governor to “administer the permitting and plan approval process es vested in DEP by law,” including promulgating regulations establishing permitting requirements and environmental standards and taking action on individual permit applications was amended and reported out of the House State Government Committee by a party-line vote, Republicans supporting, and Tabled. Part of House Republican EnergizePA natural gas subsidy package.   Click Here for more background.

Grants For Extending Natural Gas Pipelines: House Bill 1103 (Fritz-R-Susquehanna)- Expands the PIPE program which makes low-cost gas energy available to manufacturers and residents (Part of House Republican EnergizePA natural gas subsidy package) was reported from the House Finance Committee and Tabled.

Brownfield Site Inventory: House Bill 1104 (Toohil-R-Luzerne)- Would create a registry that lists abandoned manufacturing sites that are now available properties for development (Part of House Republican EnergizePA natural gas subsidy package) was reported from the House Commerce Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action. 

Low-Head Dams: House Bill 1003 (Gillespie-R-York) further providing for enforcing safety requirements near low-head dams was reported from the House Game and Fisheries Committee and Tabled.

Electric Vehicle Road Tax Fees: House Bill 1392 (Carroll-D-Luzerne) providing for a $150/ year fee for noncommercial and $250/year fee for commercial electric vehicles in lieu of paying liquid fuels tax was reported out of the House Rules Committee, amended on the House Floor and referred to the House Appropriations Committee.  (Note: Does anyone else see the irony of giving people state-funded rebates to buy electric vehicles and then turn around and charge these vehicle owners a special annual fee?)

Smokey Bear’s Birthday: House Resolution 461 (Farry-R-Bucks) recognizing Smokey Bear’s 75th Anniversary [August 9] (sponsor summary) was reported from the House Veterans Affairs and Emergency Preparedness Committee and is now on the House Calendar for action.

9/22/2019